


Christmas with the Family

by Crystal_Ieris



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: Christmas, M/M, Meeting the Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:46:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21655474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crystal_Ieris/pseuds/Crystal_Ieris
Summary: While preparing to head to his lover's for Christmas dinner Jude recieves some surprise guests that join him and his lovers for the night.
Relationships: Gaius/Ludger Will Kresnik/Jude Mathis
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	Christmas with the Family

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Tales of Xillia fanfic so I hope you all enjoy. This has always been one of my favorite pairings from Tales of Xillia. This is the 2nd of 25 Christmas fanfics that I am doing for the season.

Jude carefully balanced the two trays as he removed them from the oven, head cocked to the right as he pressed his phone into his shoulder. 

“I will be on my way soon.” He spoke into the phone.

Practically dropping the trays on the counter as the oven did not block all of the heat. He shook one off and dropped it off to the side of the tray and pulled the second one off to join it. He leaned back against the wall.

“I’m sorry, Elle. Trust me I will be on my way soon, just have to wait for these to cool.” He spoke to the little girl on the other end of the phone. “Yes, yes. I’ll make it up to you, promise.” He laughed quietly to himself so as to not get a telling too from the little girl. 

Before he could respond to the girl he heard a knock on his door. He glanced around the corner of the kitchen at the door, an eyebrow raised. He sighed before straightening and heading towards the door. 

“Someone’s at the door Elle, I have to go.” He told the girl, before she replied back. “Yes as soon as whoever it is is gone, I will pack up and head over. Promise.” He reached the door and began unlocking the chain and flipped the bolt unlocked. “See you soon, Elle.”

He flipped the phone closed as he pulled the door open, pausing as he saw who was at the door. “Mom, Dad. What are you doing here?” 

Derrick and Ellen Mathis stood before his door, his mother giving him a soft smile while his father looked as strict as always. His mother held a package in her arms while his father carried a bag with what looked to be a bottle of something. 

“Well you couldn’t come home to spend Christmas with us-” His mother began.  
“Again.” Derrick commented.  
Ellen ignored her husband. “So we figured we would come visit you, we only just arrived last night.”  
“You should have told me, I would have gone to meet you.” Jude spoke as he stepped aside for his parents to enter.  
Derrick shook his head. “You had that event last night, you wouldn’t have had time to see us and make it to the event.”  
“Right, I suppose. Still it would have been nice to know, I was actually about to head over to someone’s apartment to celebrate Christmas.” Jude spoke as he moved back into the kitchen. “Unfortunately, I don’t have anything other then what I prepared to take…” 

Jude could feel his father watching him for a moment and he could practically hear his mom’s thoughts on the state of his room. He knew books were stacked in haphazard piles and papers were strewn all over the room. The room was certainly in disarray, which he was used to more often than not. It didn’t help that he didn’t spend a lot of his evenings at home but elsewhere the past few months. 

“I need to call them back and cancel…” Jude muttered as he pulled his phone out once more, searching his contacts for someone other than Elle.  
“Oh don’t cancel on our behalf, we’re the ones who showed up unexpectedly.” His mother spoke up quickly. 

Jude paused glancing at his parents, finger tapping on the side of his phone deep in thought. After a moment he pushed the contact, and brought the phone up to his ears. He walked into the kitchen for some more privacy, not that it mattered since his apartment was so small. He placed one hand on the counter, drumming his fingers as the phone rang, his back to his parents. The phone clicked as it was finally answered.

Jude smiled as Ludger’s voice came from the other end. “Hey, so my parents just showed up. I’m going to have to cancel.” 

His fingers continued tapping as he looked at the rolls, cooling on the trays. Ludger asked a few questions about the situation, voice low probably so Elle wouldn’t hear. Even despite the lowness of the man’s voice he could hear the slight disappointment.

“They arrived last night but didn’t tell me due to the event we were all at.” Jude answered, pausing as Ludger spoke once more. “Are you sure? It won’t be a bother?”

Ludger reassured the researcher’s worries as he again said his piece. Jude smiled, though he felt a bit uneasy at the idea. After a few moments he nodded, though he knew Ludger couldn’t see him, he felt it was more for saying yes to himself to go ahead. 

“Alright, I’ll head over with them soon. Hope you made enough.” Jude spoke, listening to Ludger once more, and dropped his voice as he replied. “Yeah, love you too, be there soon.”

He hung up the phone and slipped it into his pocket as he reached into a cabinet for tupperware. He pulled it down and began putting the rolls from the tray inside. He didn’t look back into the rest of his apartment as he began to speak.

“You’re invited to the dinner I am heading to, there will be plenty of food.”  
He heard his father cough to clear his throat. “This won’t be a bother for you?”  
“Not at all, if my friend said it’s fine then it’s good.” Jude said. “As long as it’s not a problem for you?”  
“Not at all.” His mother spoke up, sensing the tension between the two. “Is it your friend Alvin? I know Leia went home for the holiday since she didn’t get to cover the party last night.”  
Jude paused in thought at the question. “Not Alvin, I don’t think I’ve introduced you to this friend.”  
“Well we’d like to meet them.” His mother said.

Jude nodded, putting the lid on the tupperware before going over to the fridge. He pulled out two larger tupperware bowls from the fridge and put them both in separate bags for easier carrying. The rolls went into a third bag for so as not to make one bag too much heavier than another. 

“Let me carry one of those.” His father spoke up suddenly, coming into the kitchen and taking one of the bags. 

Jude glanced at his father and saw that his father’s eyes were guarded and the man seemed deep in thought. Jude sighed before grabbing the other two bags and heading to the door. He grabbed a laptop bag he had left at the door to grab easier on his way out. He opened the door, waiting for his parents to leave before exiting the apartment and locking the door behind them. 

The three of them were quiet as they got on the elevator and rode it down to the first floor. Jude wasn’t sure what he hated more. The silence because it was always tense around his father, or the silence because it let his mind race. He wasn’t sure what he was doing or how to explain the situation his parents were about to walk into. They weren’t exactly accompanying him to a friend’s for dinner. How he wished he could go back to when he woke up in bed this morning, it had been so nice and warm, and so tempting not to leave.

It wasn’t long till they were walking up to Ludger’s building and then inside. The cat lady downstairs was heading out as the three walked inside. Jude nodded his head at her and she nodded back, giving him a cheery greeting before she exited the building. It wasn’t long till the three were in the elevator and despite Jude’s nerves wanting to get this over with the elevator ride seemed slow. 

All to soon they were off the elevator and before Ludger’s door, and Jude stalled for a few moments. His father clearing his throat snapped him into action and he knocked on the door, before his arm dropped back down to his side. It wasn’t long till he heard hurried footsteps coming to the door and a shout from Elle to the others inside. Not even a minute later the door was thrown open and Elle stood, hands on her hips looking sternly up at him.

“You’re late!” The girl reprimanded, before she caught sight of his parents. “Who are they?”  
“Elle!” Ludger’s voice chided from within at her rudeness.  
Elle pouted before dropping her arms. “Come inside and then you can tell me why you were late.”

The girl stepped back further into the apartment and the three entered, Jude smiling down at the girl as his parents just watched. Rollo came over to curl around Jude’s feet before settling at Elle’s side. 

“Elle, these are my parents, Derrick and Ellen Mathis.” Jude introduced his parents.  
“Your parents?” Elle examined the two for a moment before bowing her head in greeting. “Nice to meet you, I’m Elle Mel Marta.”  
Jude’s mom knelt down. “Hello there, you are adorable. How old are you?”  
“Eight.”  
“And how do you know Jude?” Derrick asked, eyeing his son.  
“My friend is her guardian-” Jude began before Elle cut him off.  
“Partner!” Elle stated, stomping her foot as she crossed her arms looking at Jude. “We’re partners!”  
“Sorry, my bad.” Jude apologized. “She’s Ludger’s partner.” 

Elle nodded before waving them further into the apartment so Jude’s parents could get a better look. Elle took one of the food bags from Jude, and Jude took the last one from his father as they headed over to the kitchen. Ludger turned to look at him from where he was stirring a pot on the stove. Jude placed the bags on the counter, as Elle left the kitchen after dropping the tupperware with the rolls on the counter as well. 

“How are you?” Ludger asked quietly.  
Jude was quiet for a moment as he removed the tupperware from the bags. “Nervous.”  
“Same.”  
“And Gaius?”  
“Quiet.”  
Jude chuckled. “What else is new.” 

He turned from the counter and leaned back against it, slightly more towards Ludger’s space as he looked over to the living room. His parents and Gaius stood in the room, His father and the king staring each other down as they stood there. Elle had taken a seat on the couch, and was looking between the three adults in the living room. 

“I better go save them.” Jude sighed, not wanting to leave Ludger’s side.  
Ludger looked back into the other room and hummed. “Who?”  
“Gaius, hopefully.” 

Jude stood and pushed off the counter , though he felt a brief movement of a hand on his arm before he got too far. He smiled before continuing into the room, intent on helping his eldest lover with his parents. 

“Mom, dad. I see you met Erston.” The three turned to look at him as he entered.

His father’s gaze was critical and he looked as if he was trying to study Jude’s motions and intents. Ellen’s gaze moved from Jude to Gaius and back over Jude’s shoulder at Ludger in the kitchen. Her gaze curious but her face had a pleasant welcoming smile when she looked at one of the other men. Gaius looked at him, face blank, or that’s at least how it looked to someone that didn’t know the man. He could tell the man was uncomfortable, probably a bit nervous, but he kept his face blank. 

Derrick’s face was neutral as he spoke. “Yes, we did.”  
“Well this is everyone that’ll be here tonight. I’ll formally introduce you to Ludger once he’s done cooking. He’s very particular about his kitchen.”  
Ellen nodded. “Well this was not what I was expecting when we came over, you haven’t introduced us to these friends before.”  
“Sorry, I’ll try and keep you more up to date.”

The silence slowly became awkward once more, and Jude wasn’t sure how to break it. He cared for his parents deeply, but it was hard to talk to them at times, especially his father. He also couldn’t tell what his parents were thinking, his mother seemed calm and natural, but his father’s stance and face were blank and whatever he was thinking was carefully hidden from Jude’s gaze.

It was also weird just standing in his boyfriend’s apartment, and not settling himself somewhere comfortably. Depending on the day he’d be sitting on the couch, sometimes with Elle leaning against him as he read something, or he himself curled into one of his lover’s sides. Luckily Elle acted like a god-send at that moment and broke the silence. 

“What’s in the bag?” Elle questioned before giving him a disapproving look. “You didn’t bring work did you?”  
Jude chuckled. “I did not. They’re presents.”

Jude walked over to the small tree in the corner of the room and slung the bag off his shoulder taking out the four presents he had inside. One each for Gaius, Ludger, Elle, and even Rollo, because if he forgot the cat Elle wouldn’t let him live it down. Elle ran over, eyes sparkling in excitement as she looked at the presents, each wrapped very carefully and the recipient’s names penned in legible writing. 

“Can I open mine now?” Elle asked excitedly.  
Ludger spoke up as he walked towards the table. “After dinner, go wash up.”  
Elle deflated a bit before standing quickly. “Okay!” 

She ran from the room to go wash her hands as Jude laughed watching her fondly. Ludger shook his head before going to grab more dishes. Jude stood to help as Gaius was heading for the small kitchen as well. It was nice to see a fond smile on the taller man’s face from Elle’s excitement, and that he even sent a smile in Jude’s direction as they passed Ludger. 

“It’s fine.” Gaius assured his smaller lover.  
Jude looked up at the man in confusion. “What?”  
“You don’t have to try so hard with your parents, let things occur naturally. I do not care what is said.”  
Jude frowned. “But…”  
“Jude.” 

Gaius’ voice was commanding yet reassuring, and the man gave him a pointed look. Jude nodded his head, trusting his lover’s words and following the man to the table. Soon the table was fully set and after everyone washed their hands and took their seat Jude realized they had reached the next dilema. The table was filled with several people that were all quiet in nature, sure Ludger was a bit more talkative but he was still generally pretty quiet. 

As plates were served and prayers to Maxwell said they all began to eat in silence. Jude wasn’t sure what to speak about, it was very different having his parents here with them and threw a wrench in the plans slightly. Elle sat at his side, happily munching away quickly, with a reprimand from Ludger to slow down, and also to stop feeding Rollo scraps. Across from them sat Jude’s parents with Jude being directly across from his father. Gaius sat to Jude’s left at one end of the table, and Ludger sat to Elle’s right at the other end. 

“My Ludger, that is your name correct?” Ellen questioned.  
Ludger turned to the woman on his right. “Yes.”  
Ellen smiled. “This is all fantastic. Are you a professional chef?”  
“Not really, I do caterings mostly, I catered an event just last night.”  
Derrick turned his attention to the conversation. “The same event Jude attended?”  
“Yes.” Ludger nodded.  
Derrick glanced at Gaius. “And did you attend the event as well Erston?”  
Gaius glanced at the doctor from the corner of his eyes. “I did. It was quite a lovely evening.”  
“And what do you do?” Derrick questioned.  
Jude groaned. “Dad!”  
“I am a politician.” Gaius answered, before the man could respond to his son.  
“Elympion or Rieze Maxian?” Derrick questioned, glancing at Gaius’ Elympion attire.  
“Rieze Maxian.” Gaius answered. “Your Elympion though correct?”  
Derrick stiffened at that shooting a glance at his son. “I am.”  
“Tell me what were your initial thoughts to Rieze Maxia?”  
Derrick was quiet for a moment, as was the whole table. “It was certainly different when I first arrived, the continent is far more alive than Elympios. It took a bit to get used to the lack of technology compared to here.”  
“When the bridge was built did you wish to return to Elympios?”  
“At first it was tempting, it is after all where I was born.” Derrick’s hand reached for his wife’s briefly. “I have come to find Rieze Maxia to be my home and have no plans to leave it permanently.”  
Gaius nodded. “I see. Thank you.”

Jude breathed out a sigh of relief as the dinner seemed to progress a bit more smoothly after that. He shot his boyfriend a brief disapproving look, before smiling at him and continuing his meal. His mother had a small smile on her face before she turned her attention to Elle. 

“What do you do Elle?”  
Elle looked up at her. “I help Ludger with his job! And sometimes Jude and the others also.”  
“That sounds like a lot of hard work for someone so young.”  
“It is, but I enjoy it! I get to help all my friends out!” Elle admitted smiling at the woman. “I also help find lost cats with Rollo for the lady downstairs. We have a cat hunting business.”  
“Oh?” Ellen asked, interested.  
Elle nodded. “Rollo is top cat! The cat’s we find will listen to him and bring us all sorts of stuff!”  
“My that is interesting.” 

Jude smiled at the little girl’s explanation as she went into detail about the various kitties that she has found. The girl was going on about some of the interesting cats they had found like the tomcat Guy and his fear of any female cats that got close to him. Ellen smiled and made remarks at certain points as the child spoke, a smile on her face. 

The rest of dinner passed in relative ease as they all talked, Jude more than happy to sit in silence with his family and just listen. Soon they were all done with food and Elle was ready to open presents, much to the adult’s amusement. 

“Well I think we should be going.” Derrick spoke as he stood from the table.  
Ludger glanced back. “You don’t want to stay for desert?”  
“No it is getting quite late, and we have an early trip back.” Ellen replied, a fond smile on her face.  
Jude stood. “I’ll walk you to your hotel.”  
“Jude…” Elle groaned in disappointment.  
Ellen laughed. “We’ll be fine, you should stay, we’ve disrupted your evening enough as it is.”  
“You didn’t disrupt anything.” Jude insisted. 

His parents began walking to the door, though Elle did run forward to bid them good-bye, giving Ellen a quick hug as she did so. Ludger smiled as she ran back to the tree, to patiently wait as he and Gaius joined the family at the door. 

“Thank you for joining us.” Ludger told them.  
Ellen smiled. “Thank you for having us.” 

Derrick was quiet as he studied the three men before them. Jude stood slightly more in the front of his lovers, though Gaius was not far behind the younger man. 

“My son can get himself into quite a bit of trouble.” Derrick spoke after a moment.  
“Dad!”  
Gaius once again spoke over his younger lover. “You do not have to worry, Jude can take care of himself.”  
Derrick nodded. “I know, and with you two at his side, I can tell that he won’t get too carried away.”  
Jude felt his face heat up at the implication. “Dad-”  
“We’ll take care of him.” Ludger promised.

Derrick simply nodded before leaving the apartment before Jude could say anything more. Ellen was silent for a moment, a fond smile on her face before she went to follow her husband. Though she paused at the door. 

“Jude you’ll have to bring our darling granddaughter for a visit more often.” 

With those words his parents left the apartment, the door closing behind them as they did so. Jude felt his face was bright red by this point and he brought his hands up to try and hide the embarrassment. 

“Granddaughter, huh.” Ludger chuckled.  
“Ludger….” Jude whined embarrassed.  
Gaius chuckled as he placed a hand on Jude’s head comfortingly. “Guess this means I’ll have to officially ask for your hand then.”  
“Gaius!” Jude cried out in surprise. 

Ludger laughed at his two lover’s anctics as the two older men walked back into the living room. Jude following them in an embarrassed huff at the teasing coming from his lovers. He couldn’t believe they were teasing him so much. Wasn’t dinner alone torture enough, now they had to tease him afterwards to? Jude couldn’t help the smile that came to his face though at the success of the evening as he joined the three around the tree.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed!


End file.
